§ 115-4. Definitions.

Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give them the meaning they have in common usage and to give this chapter its most reasonable application.

APPEAL

A request for a review of the Local Administrator's interpretation of any provision of this chapter or a request for a variance.

AREA OF SHALLOW FLOODING

A designated AO, AH or VO Zone on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) with a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding to an average annual depth of one to three feet where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and where velocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized by ponding or sheet flow.

AREA OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD

The land in the floodplain within a community subject to a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year. This area may be designated as Zone A, AE, AH, AO, A1-A30, A99, V, VO, VE, or V1-V30. It is also commonly referred to as the "base floodplain" or "one-hundred-year floodplain."

BASE FLOOD

The flood having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.

BASEMENT

That portion of a building having its floor subgrade (below ground level) on all sides.

BUILDING

See "structure."

CELLAR

See "basement."

CRAWL SPACE

An enclosed area beneath the lowest elevated floor, 18 inches or more in height, which is used to service the underside of the lowest elevated floor. The elevation of the floor of this enclosed area, which may be of soil, gravel, concrete, or other material, must be equal to or above the lowest adjacent exterior grade. The enclosed crawl space area shall be properly vented to allow for the equalization of hydrostatic forces which would be experienced during periods of flooding.

DEVELOPMENT

Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials.

ELEVATED BUILDING

A nonbasement building built, in the case of a building in Zones A1-A30, AE, A, A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, or D, to have the top of the elevated floor, in the case of a building in Zones V1-V30, VE, or V, to have the bottom of the lowest horizontal structure member of the elevated floor elevated above the ground level by means of pilings, columns, posts and piers, or shear walls parallel to the flow of the water; and adequately anchored so as not to impair the structural integrity of the building during a flood of up to the magnitude of the base flood. In the case of Zones A1-A30, AE, A, A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, or D, "elevated building" also includes a building elevated by means of fill or solid foundation perimeter walls with openings sufficient to facilitate the unimpeded movement of floodwaters. In the case of Zones V1-V30, VE, or V, "elevated building" also includes a building otherwise meeting the definition of "elevated building," even though the lower area is enclosed by means of breakaway walls that meet the federal standards.

EXISTING MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION

A manufactured home park or subdivision for which the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including, at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is complete before the effective date of the floodplain management regulations adopted by the community.

EXPANSION TO AN EXISTING MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION

The preparation of additional sites by the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads).

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

The federal agency that administers the National Flood Insurance Program.

FLOOD or FLOODING

A. 

A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from:

(1) 

The overflow of inland or tidal waters;

(2) 

The unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

B. 

The collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or other body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature, such as a flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding as defined in Subsection A above.

FLOOD BOUNDARY AND FLOODWAY MAP (FBFM)

An official map of the community published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of a riverine community's Flood Insurance Study. The FBFM delineates a regulatory floodway along watercourses studied in detail in the Flood Insurance Study.

FLOOD ELEVATION STUDY

An examination, evaluation and determination of the flood hazards and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations, or an examination, evaluation and determination of flood-related erosion hazards.

FLOOD HAZARD BOUNDARY MAP (FHBM)

An official map of a community, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard have been designated as Zone A but no flood elevations are provided.

FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM)

An official map of a community on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency has delineated both the areas of special flood hazard and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.

FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY

See "flood elevation study."

FLOODPLAIN or FLOOD-PRONE AREA

Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source (see definition of "flooding").

FLOODPROOFING

Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures and their contents.

FLOODWAY

See "regulatory floodway."

FUNCTIONALLY DEPENDENT USE

A use which cannot perform its intended purpose unless it is located or carried out in close proximity to water, such as a docking or port facility necessary for the loading and unloading of cargo or passengers, shipbuilding, and ship repair facilities. The term does not include long-term storage, manufacturing, sales, or service facilities.

HIGHEST ADJACENT GRADE

The highest natural elevation of the ground surface, prior to construction, next to the proposed walls of a structure.

HISTORIC STRUCTURE

Any structure that is:

A. 

Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (a listing maintained by the Department of the Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements for individual listing on the National Register;

B. 

Certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to qualify as a registered historic district;

C. 

Individually listed on a state inventory of historic places in states with historic preservation programs which have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or

D. 

Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places in communities with historic preservation programs that have been certified either:

(1) 

By an approved state program as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; or

(2) 

Directly by the Secretary of the Interior in states without approved programs.

LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR

The person appointed by the community to administer and implement this chapter by granting or denying development permits in accordance with its provisions. This person is often the Code Enforcement Officer, Building Inspector, or employee of an engineering department.

LOWEST FLOOR

Lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement or cellar). An unfinished or flood resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access, or storage in an area other than a basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirements of this chapter.

MANUFACTURED HOME

A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities. The term does not include a recreational vehicle.

MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION

A parcel (or contiguous parcels) of land divided into two or more manufactured home lots for rent or sale.

MEAN SEA LEVEL

For purposes of the National Flood Insurance Program, the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929 or other datum, to which base flood elevations shown on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map are referenced.

MOBILE HOME

See "manufactured home."

NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL DATUM (NGVD)

As corrected in 1929, is a vertical control used as a reference for establishing varying elevations within the floodplain.

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Structures for which the "start of construction" commenced on or after the effective date of a floodplain management regulation adopted by the community and includes any subsequent improvements to such structure.

NEW MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION

A manufactured home park or subdivision for which the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including, at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is completed on or after the effective date of floodplain management regulations adopted by a community.

ONE-HUNDRED-YEAR FLOOD

See "base flood."

PRINCIPALLY ABOVE GROUND

At least 51% of the actual cash value of the structure, excluding land value, is above ground.

RECREATIONAL VEHICLE

A vehicle which is:

A. 

Built on a single chassis;

B. 

Four hundred square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projections;

C. 

Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck; and

D. 

Not designed primarily for use as a permanent dwelling, but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use.

REGULATORY FLOODWAY

The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a designated height as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a Flood Insurance Study or by other agencies as provided in § 115-13B of this chapter.

START OF CONSTRUCTION

Includes substantial improvement and the initiation, excluding planning and design, of any phase of a project, physical alteration of the property, and shall include land preparation, such as clearing, grading, and filling, installation of streets and/or walkways; excavation for a basement, footings, piers, or foundations or the erection of temporary forms. It also includes the placement and/or installation on the property of accessory buildings (garages, sheds), storage trailers, and building materials. For manufactured homes, the "actual start" means affixing of the manufactured home to its permanent site.

STRUCTURE

A walled and roofed building, including a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground, as well as a manufactured home.

SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE

Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.

SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT

Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the start of construction of the improvement. The term includes structures which have incurred substantial damage, regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either:

A. 

Any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of state or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions; or

B. 

Any alteration of a historic structure, provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as a historic structure.

VARIANCE

A grant of relief from the requirements of this chapter which permits construction or use in a manner that would otherwise be prohibited by this chapter.